The Boy With The Bread
by laxgoal31
Summary: The novel from Peeta's POV. One might think that enough has been said on him already in the story, but wouldn't it be interesting to see how he viewed the entire process of the Hunger Games? My first fanfic.
1. Reaping

**This is my first ever fanfic, and I hope it doesn't totally suck. All rights reserved to Suzanne Collins; I do not own The Hunger Games. By the way, the first three chapters are mostly background. The good part starts at Chapter 4, in case you want to skip right there. Please read and review!**

I wake up to the delicious smell of warm, baking bread. I think to myself, what could possibly be the cause for such a treat? Normally all I get to eat is stale bread, and normally the cooking is done in the afternoon. Then it hits me. Reaping Day. That is the reason for this special treat, which must be courtesy of my mother. For all her faults, my mother's love for me has not diminished throughout the years. She is still quick with her hand to strike if I do something wrong, but she is also one of the most caring people in all of Panem.

I dress in my finest clothes, and go into the main room for breakfast. My parents are already at the table eating the freshly cooked bread. My father has even contributed cookies to the meal, an even rarer treat. Conversation that morning is sparse, as I am extremely nervous. I can only choke down a couple of cookies and maybe half a loaf of bread before I am full. I loaf around the house (no pun intended), anxiously awaiting the time to leave for the square. During this time, my parents and I avoid being in the same room with each other. I guess throughout the years, we reached an unspoken agreement to leave each other well alone on this day. When the time comes, my parents and I travel to the square, where I take my place among the other children my age. I am standing with people, the majority of which are merchant's children, not kids from the Seam. I crane my neck to try and see over the crowd, and I am rewarded with a glimpse of her.

Katniss Everdeen. The girl of my dreams. No, even that sounds too flimsy and too cliché to describe her. I can't even think of anything that would give true substance to my thoughts about her. She has no idea of the depth of my feelings for her, feelings I can't even explain myself, all I know is that those feelings are there, and that there is no use fighting them. I love her as much as I love my parents, maybe more, but the only thing is, she has no clue. And perhaps that's the best thing for both of us.

_In my father's shop, I stop my work to look through the window. It's raining. I sigh, and turn back to my work. Suddenly, I hear my mother screaming near the back door, all l I hear is something about the Seam and a brat. I look out the door behind my mother and see her, Katniss. She looks awful, bedraggled, and underfed. Before I can process my thoughts and think of the consequences, I go back to my workplace, grab two loaves, and burn them. Right away, I feel a stinging on my cheek. My mother has slapped me. She is yelling at me to feed the loaves to the pig; they are no good. I go outside to do so, only I throw the loaves to Katniss, one at a time. I quickly turn back inside, but before I do, the last thing I see of her is the pure look of radiant joy on her delicate face. _

I turn my attention back to the Reaping. The mayor has just finished his long, long opening speech (I don't see the point of this speech, seeing as almost nobody listens to it), and Haymitch Abernathy, District 12's only surviving Hunger Games victor has just stumbled onstage. He tries to fool around with Effie Trinket a little bit (dis-GUS-ting), and then drunkenly takes his seat. This is nothing new for him; he is quite the laughingstock of District 12. The cameras turn back to Effie; she is about to announce the girl's tribute for this year. I steel myself, thinking "Not Katniss, Not Katniss." And it's not Katniss; it's her sister, Primrose. Somehow, that's even worse.

"Prim!" I hear. I wonder who this cry has come from, but when I think about it, what kind of a question is that? Katniss, of course. Katniss rushes up to the stage, and gasps out, "I volunteer as tribute!"

In my mind, I am screaming in agony while Effie gushes about 'District spirit'. She can shove her District spirit where the sun doesn't shine. I'm thinking, how could Katniss be so stupid, but then I realize, this is one of the reasons why I love her so much, because she is so damn caring. She would never let anything bad happen to her sister. The uproar continues on the stage, as Haymitch has just taken a stage dive. Most people are snickering, but I can't. I'm too filled with worry for Katniss.

Right now, I am almost wishing to be called as the boy tribute, just so I would be able to finally talk to Katniss, and make a connection with her for even the briefest of times. That is, before I would be expected to have to kill her. "Peeta Mellark!'' shouts Effie. Well, I think to myself, it looks like I am about to get my wish.

**Other stories of mine: The Seventy Fifth Hunger Games, Sharp As A Knife, From The Other Side, The Hunger Games Premiere.**


	2. The Capitol

**I don't know if you are supposed to wait before you post more chapters, or whatever. I'm posting all I've got. Also, isn't it funny how what is a whole page on Microsoft Word is maybe half a page on fanfiction?**

On the train, I replay the day's events to myself in my head. The reaping. The heart-wrenching goodbyes of my father and mother, my mother saying to me at the last minute about how she believes Katniss will win, not me. This ticks me off, and yet, somehow I am not offended at all. The rich supper on the train, how Haymitch stumbled in, totally drunk. How I cleaned him up, refusing Katniss's offer of help. I wouldn't want her to have to have had to clean up his mess as well. I care about her too much for that. It has been a long day, and I will need all the sleep I can get in the trying days to come.

Breakfast the next morning. When Katniss and I ask Haymitch about strategies in the arena, he comes back with a slurred response of "Stay alive."He immediately starts cracking up. That's it. He is really pissing me off. "That's very funny", I say. I hit the glass in his hand, which shatters. He hits me, and I fall back. I see Katniss thrusting her table knife near his hand, as a warning, I guess. However, he doesn't stay mad. "Well, what's this", he says. "Did I actually get a pair of fighters this year?" He turns to Katniss. "Can you hit anything with that knife besides a table?" Katniss throws the knife, and it lodges in a seam between two panels. I think, "Damn. She is pretty good. But I know I'm better."

In the conversation that follows, Haymitch agrees to help us train to survive the arena as long as we do not interfere with his drinking. His last instruction for now is not to interfere with the prep team, and whatever they are doing to us. This is definitely an improvement over the old Haymitch before breakfast, I think to myself. I go back to my room, and when we are close to the Capitol, I come out, stand at the window, and wave to the people. Out of the corner of my eye, I see Katniss scowling at me, and I say "Who knows? One of them may be rich." Somehow, I get the feeling she is not amused.

In the Capitol. More specifically, the Remake Center. My prep team consists of two men, Plato, and Thebos respectively, and one woman, Helen. I follow Haymitch's instructions, and do not resist. As it turns out, however, there is very little to do to me, only a slight haircut, one could call it a hair trim, and my stylist, Portia, enters the room quite soon. I can only imagine what Katniss' prep team is doing to her right now. Anyway, Portia explains to me that my costume will be one of fire. Thank goodness, I think. I remember some of the horrendous outfits over the past few years, and I know that the fire costume could have been much, much worse. As long as I don't burn to death, that is. Then the costume would be worse.

As we prepare to make our way down the aisle, I see Cinna give us a last-minute instruction. I believe he is saying for us to hold hands. I take her hand in mine, and an electric shock passes through me. To be here, in the Capitol, the center of attention, ON FIRE, holding hands with the love of my life? I am almost overcome, and would probably just sink to the ground if not for Katniss' hand. Her hand soothes me, and gives me the confidence to make my way down the runway. The crowd is going wild for us, no wonder, up on the screen I see how radiant we look. This is amazing, I say to myself. When we reach the City Circle, I can see the other tributes are glaring at Katniss and I. Especially the District 2 tributes. Well, at least District 12 has done something right.

The fanfare passes in the blink of an eye for me, and before I know it, I am alone with Katniss. I compliment her on her costume, and I give her my best smile. Something flickers in her eyes briefly, and then she responds with a kiss on my cheek. I think privately, "Yes!"

Our sessions with the Gamemakers are over. This same day, after dinner, the whole District 12 crowd goes to the sitting room to see how we did in front of them. The District 1 girl pulls an 8, not bad. Then again, she's a Career. That's kind of low for her. The District 2 tributes each make a 10. Yeah, that's more like it for a Career. The District 5 girl makes a 4. Strange. Her crafty looks make me believe somehow that this 4 does not mean she will die on the first day. The boy from District 11 scores a 10. "Wow, and he's not a Career, why?", I think to myself.

The District 11 girl, Rue, pulls a 7. I am saddened by her, I mean, it's totally not fair for a 12-year-old to be chosen for the games. Well, not that any of this is fair in the first place. Then I come up. 8! I scored as much as the District 1 girl and the District 4 girl, both of them Careers! Now I'm pumped. Then Katniss. Eleven! I am happy, but then again, I am not happy, because this has certainly marked her for death by the Careers.


	3. Reflection

**Hope you are liking the story so far. Again, please read and review**

I'm standing on my circle, waiting for the sixty seconds to tick down. I can see the Cornucopia ahead of me, with items and supplies littered all around it. I know I should be thinking of the games, but all I can think about is her. The past few days, her company, have been a blessing.

The day of the interviews, I mentally sized up each of the tributes in my mind. The District 1 girl…..geez. Her body almost makes me forget about Katniss…no, I'm only kidding. The boy from District 2 is a ruthless killer from the sound of his interview. Rue, haunting and sad. She says her greatest strength is not being caught; I can only hope this is true. She won't stand a c if she is caught. The boy from District 11, Thresh, silent, solo, and powerful. Then, of course, Katniss. Her stunning outfit, her answer about Prim, touched my heart. I didn't think it was possible for me to feel any stronger about her then I did, but I guess it was possible, because I felt myself fall in love with her more. Then it was my turn. I bantered with Caesar a little bit, we did a whole sniffing act, and then it came. The question that Haymitch had secretly entreated Caesar to ask of me. "Do you have a girlfriend back home?" he asks. This is it, I thought to myself. I play the reluctant act, not wanting to tell the crowd, making the crowd eat it up, and then finally when Caesar pushes just enough, I blush scarlet red, and say, "…she came here with me."

I sneak a peek at Katniss. She is blushing, and looking away from the cameras. I think to myself, maybe she feels the same? Caesar asks me if she had known before now, and I reply with the answer, "No." I avoid her until I step off the elevator on my floor, and my fleeting thought of returned love is dashed when I am shoved into a flower urn. She is pissed with a capital P.

"What was that for?" I ask. I'm thinking, what the hell?

"You had no right! No right to go saying those things about me!" she shouts.

By now the rest of the District 12 crew has entered the floor. Haymitch and I make her realize that this strategy, the star-crossed lovers from District 12, will help us gain sponsors. Haymitch says that she was the least romantic that you can get, until I said what I felt. She apologizes, but nothing can heal the pain I feel inside. She doesn't feel that way about me at all, I realize. She thinks that it's all just a ploy to get sponsors. And tomorrow we enter the arena.

That night, I am staring out at the Capitol, thinking about her reaction, and the upcoming games, when I hear a sound behind me. It's Katniss.

"You should be getting some sleep," I say.

She says that she couldn't sleep either, and joins me in looking out on the city.

We talk a little bit, and then I make a decision. I want to share what I've been thinking about.

"Only I keep wishing I could think of a way to... to show the Capitol they don't own me. That I'm more than just a piece in their Games," I say.

Then, we make sarcastic and cutting remarks back and forth. Looks like no equally deep response is coming back my way. I don't even know why we do this sparring of words. Maybe it's because, tomorrow we will be expected to kill each other? I don't know. All I know is, I could never kill her. Even if we were the last two tributes left, I would kill myself rather than kill her. I only hope it won't ever come to that.

This thought is what jerks me back to the here and now. The tributes all are gearing up for either fight or flight. For most, it looks like fight. On my metal circle, I catch Katniss's eye from across the plain. Uh oh. Her eyes are filled with purposeful intent. Knowing her, she will probably ignore Haymitch's advice not to fight at all at the Cornucopia, and to run to the woods and find water. Knowing her she will dive into the thick of things. I have to stop her. Still holding eye contact with her, I shake my head to dissuade her. I'm still shaking when the gong rings out. The 74th Hunger Games have begun.


	4. Cornucopia

**If you were bored with the first three chapters, don't close this story yet. This chapter is packed with action and fighting. Enjoy!**

Ignoring Haymitch's advice myself (yeah, I'm a hypocrite) I dash into the fray. What I have not told anyone is, I'm not bad with a knife. I guess it comes from fooling around with those bread knives in my father's shop all the time back home. I mean, my 8 in front of the Gamemakers wasn't all due to my strength and power (and modesty, I chide myself). I survey the field for a knife, and find one about 10 yards to my right. All around me tributes are fighting and falling to the ground. When I make it to the knife, I see a boy, I think from District 8, there ahead with the knife already in his hand. I first hit the knife out of his hand, and wrestle him to the ground. His emaciated form doesn't stand a chance against my strength (again, modesty). Keeping him pinned down, I pick up the knife from where it fell, and stab the boy in the heart. Just like that. My first kill. Ever. No time to think about it, though.

Just then, I see another form materialize over me. One of the Career Tributes, the District 4 boy. He raises a spear to finish me off, and I'm thinking that this is the end. I can only hope that Katniss survives to win. Suddenly, the spear in the boy's hand is matched by the spear poking out of his stomach. He crumples to the ground, dying fast, a shocked expression on his face. Behind him is the District 6 girl, holding the spear. She raises the spear to finish me off. Déjà vu, right? Only this time, I am running like hell away from there, running to the woods, and getting behind the first tree I see. I wonder why the girl has not come to follow me, and then I realize that she can't. It's kind of hard to chase someone when you have a sword sticking out of your torso. I catch my breath, relieved. But my ordeal is not yet over.

I hear an animal cry, similar to the one uttered by Katniss the day of the reaping. "No! You bastard, Cato!" screams a boy, presumably the one from District 6. He begins to charge at the sword-wielder, Cato. "That was my sis-." His words are cut off as Cato deftly sidesteps his charge, and decapitates him in one fluid motion. The headless boy falls to the ground on top of the girl, who I guess was his sister. Well at least they're together in death. But I am not out of the woods yet (sometimes I crack myself up with the wordplay). Cato is advancing now. Towards me.

I still have my knife, but I know I am no match for Cato and his sword. I step out of tree, raise my hands, and say "Wait! You can't kill me!" Cato laughs and says "Why ever not, Lover Boy?" I know this risky plan of mine is the only hope for survival. "Because you need me", I say. I point to the dead body of the District 4 boy. "You need me to replace him in your Career group".

This only makes Cato laugh even harder. Even though I'm scared as hell, I still feel anger welling up in me. "I'll tell you about Katniss, too," I say.

Cato stops laughing. "Why would you tell us any sort of useful information on your sweetheart, huh? Nice try, Lover Boy."

Crap. He's not buying it. "She's not even that much of a threat," I lie. I make my face go hard as steel. "But if you think she is, well then, I'm willing to help. And why would I do this? Because both of us can't win these games. Only one person can win, and I'd much rather it be me, over her."

Cato looks at me with a new regard in his cold eyes. "Well neither of you is going to win, because I am. But no matter. You join our alliance, Lover Boy, you tell us all you know about 'Miss-Eleven-On-Fire', ok. That's still not enough. I bet you can't even use that knife in your hand."

Then I spot something that is not quite right. I say "Watch this. Oh, and don't kill me for a minute, how 'bout it? I take careful aim with my knife, and let it fly into a tree. For a moment nothing happens. Cato has a look in his eyes that tells me he's fed up, and about kill me no matter what possible benefits I will bring to him.

Then a girl, I think from District 3, falls out of the tree. The knife is sticking out of her chest. She is dead. Another kill for me.

"Well, well, Lover Boy, not bad, says Cato. "Strong, handy with a knife, not bad at all. Alright. You can join our alliance…for now. Oh, and just a warning. Try anything cute with us, like lying about your sweetheart, and your death will be long and painful."

"So be it", I say with a heavy heart.

**Should I go on with the story? Please comment.**


	5. Hunting

**Before the chapter, just wanted to say thanks for the great reviews hungergamesfan51. In addition to this chapter, I also went back and fixed up the other ones. Enjoy, and please read and review!**

Cato and I had just made our pact when I realize that I don't hear any fighting going on at the Cornucopia anymore. Just then, I hear the cannons go off. 1, 2, 3, 4…11! Just like Katniss' training score. Thirteen tributes left to play.

"Come on, then," says Cato. "You're walking in front of me just to be sure about the no funny business." So we set off, with me a few paces in front. As we near the Cornucopia, the hovercraft is just finishing picking up the 10 bodies around it, and moves off in the direction of the dead girl who was in the tree. Now there are 4 others besides Cato and me around the Cornucopia: the two District 1 tributes, the girl District 2 tribute, and the girl from District 4. The 4 girl's eyes are filled with grief over the loss of her fellow tribute. I guess they were close.

The girl from District 2 is first to speak. "So, Cato, what do you have there?

"The newest member of our group, Clove," says Cato. "He's going to help us find and kill that eleven bitch." My stomach lurches when he says this. _I'm sorry, Katniss._ "Besides, he's handy with a knife and strong, too."

Following this statement of Cato's, the other four Careers look at me with grudging acceptance in their expressions. Clove says "Try anything-"

"Yeah I know, my death will be long and painful", I say. Clove smiles wickedly. "Good," she says. "Long." She opens up one side of her vest to reveal an assortment of knives. "And painful." She reveals the other side, which contains an equal number of knives. "Yeah," I think to myself. Wouldn't want to cross her.

Cato says "Glimmer, Blace, are you two almost done sorting out our supplies? It's almost nightfall. Almost time to hunt."

The two District 1 tributes (who have the dumbest names, I might add) both say "yeah" in unison.

"Good," says Cato. "Atara!"

"Yes," says the District 4 girl. She's standing off to the side, staring into the trees sadly. "Pull yourself together or die right now," says Cato. "You're not expendable. Even Lover Boy here got the same training score as you."

Atara's eyes now have a mix of grief and dislike as she glares at me. "Yes," she says. "I'm ready."

Night falls as the anthem plays. The dead tributes' faces appear in the sky. The first to appear is the District 3 girl I killed. Atara puts her head down as the District 4 boy appears. Clove snickers as the District 5 boy appears. "I gave the audience a good knive show with him," she says to no one in particular. I can only imagine what that means. Probably something long and painful. The two District 6 tributes that Cato killed are also there. Then comes the boy from 8 that I killed. I find myself hoping against hope that Katniss will not appear. But no, the last tribute to come is the girl from 10. The anthem plays again, and the noises of the forest resume.

The District 1 tributes return from where they camouflaged the supplies near the lake. "We're ready," says Blace, the boy.

"Alright," says Cato. He and Clove don a pair of night-vision glasses each, and take out their sword and knives respectively. Glimmer takes out her bow and arrows and a torch, Blace his spear and a flashlight, and Atara her pair of knives, with a flashlight tied onto her wrist. Blace hands me a torch. I put it in my left hand, with my knife in my right. "Let's go," says Cato.

We've been hunting for hours. Nothing. We haven't even seen the smallest hint of a tribute. I can feel that it's almost time for the sun to rise. But then Glimmer sees it first.

"Look, she says." "Smoke!"

All of us speed up to reach the source of the smoke. I think, could Katniss be the starter of this fire? No, she's much too smart. The fire is within view now, a girl next to it, sleeping. We surround her quickly, and Glimmer steps over her and shoots her in the heart with her bow and arrows. She retrieves her arrow. Blace yells out "Twelve down, and eleven to go!" That gets some hoots, which I join in on to keep up the pretense.

Cato is checking the girl for supplies. "Nothing good," he says. "Better clear out so they can get the body before it starts stinking."

We run some more, and stop in a clearing. An argument breaks out, because we haven't heard the cannon for this girl, who I believe is from District 8 go off yet. Trying to prove myself, I silence the others and yell out "We're wasting time! I'll go finish her and let's move on!" I could have sworn I could some rustling in a nearby tree as I said this, but no matter. Probably a bird.

"Go on, then, Lover Boy," sneers Cato. "See for yourself." So I do. I go back and find the girl at death's door. I guess Glimmer's arrow was a few inches off to be fatal. I pull my knife and stick it in her heart at the right place this time. Now I've killed three, which includes both tributes from District 8. I head back, only wondering what my "allies" have said about me while I've been gone. The interrogation I've been expecting about Katniss hasn't occurred yet. I've been working on my story the whole night as we've run, and I'll probably need to use it at the next meal/rest stop. When I reach the group, Cato says "Was she dead?"

"No. But she is now," I say. The cannon for the girl fires. "Ready to move on?"

As we set off, the sun is just rising and at my position at the rear of the pack I think I catch a glimpse of something black in a tree. "Eh", I think privately. I keep running. "Probably nothing."


	6. Fire

**Thanks to hungergamesfan51 and AJLL for the reviews. Again, read, review, and enjoy!**

As we run, I make my way to the front of the pack. "We going back to the lake?" I ask of Cato.

"Yeah," he says. "We all need a break. And don't think I've forgotten. When we get there, you tell us everything about your 'girlfriend'."

"Sure," I say, making my voice more enthusiastic then how I feel. Alright, I think privately. Let's hope they all buy my story. If they don't, I'm dead.

The sun is at its highest arc in the sky when we reach the lake. Atara uncovers the camouflage that was hiding the food, and passes some food out to everyone. I don't know if I'm going crazy here but I could have sworn some of the fruit is gone. As I sit on the ground to eat, I also notice some red hairs lying on the ground. "Probably just a fox or something," I think.

"So. What's your strategy about dealing with Katniss?" asks Cato.

"No lying," says Clove. She opens her jacket to give me a peek of her knives, as a threat I suppose. I steel myself. This is it

I contort my face to look as if I'm betraying the love of my life and I deeply regret. This isn't far from the truth; it takes no real acting. "Well," I say. "She's good with a spear, and small swords. They can't be too heavy because she's not all that strong. Expect her to be eating solely plants, because she can't hunt. She's somewhat fast, but not as fast as you guys. And she's no good at climbing things, probably like that little 11 girl can, so expect her to be hiding on the ground somewhere." I look around the little circle we've got here, trying to gauge their reactions. Look's like they bought it, hook, line, and sinker. "Whew", I breathe to myself. I had made a mountain out of a molehill.

"Good," says Cato. Yeah, he bought it. Then he raises his sword to kill me.

"What are you doing?" I yell panicking. Oh, crap. Not good. The other 4 tributes have gathered in a circle around me. I know it's no use running. Besides, Glimmer and Clove are way faster than me. In fact, they all are.

"You told us what we need to know; now you die. Did you really think we would let someone from District 12 live that long? We let live you for a day. Be grateful," says Cato with a sneer.

"No, you need me!" I say. I'm freaking out more with every passing second.

Blace says, "Oh really? Enlighten us, why don't you."

"I can lure her out! Think about it. She sees you guys running through the forest, she hides. She sees me; she comes out to confront me. That's where you guys take over. She doesn't know I'm working with you." Geez. Now I've done it. I've just gotten her killed to save my own life. How selfish is that?

Cato contemplates this thought of mine. Clove says "Cato, he's got a point. He still has use to us."

"Ok," agrees Cato. "You can live…for now. In the meantime, you stay here and guard the supplies. The rest of us will go out and hunt."

I agree, knowing that any other response but one of assent will surely bring me death. They all leave. It is an uneventful day, with no cannons being heard, and when the others return at nightfall, and the anthem is playing, no faces are seen in the sky. We settle in for sleep, seeing as we badly need it. Glimmer volunteers to take the first watch of the night. I don't trust any of them, and will be keeping my eyes half-open throughout the night on watch for treachery. Probably all of them will do the same.

I must have dozed off, because I wake up to the sound of "Get up! Get up! Fire, fire, fire!" screamed by Glimmer. All we have time to do is to throw the food (which is packed in waterproof containers, thank goodness) into the lake, grab our weapons and run. Cato and Clove slept with their night glasses on, and now run at the front of our group to scout the way out, seeing as none of us had time to grab our torches and flashlights. Even though they try to pick the least hazardous path, I am still tripping over logs and branches, all the time with smoke in my throat and nose. All of us are coughing. I am in agony. I wonder how Katniss is doing. I turn my head to the side and vomit, nearly hitting Atara. She doesn't even have the willpower to give me a scowl. More running, running. Then, mercifully, thankfully, the fire stops.

We all collapse in a heap on the ground. No, not all of us. Not Cato. "Get up," says he. "Now is the perfect time to hunt. They will all be weak from the fire. And besides, with the fire having stopped, it must mean that we are near another tribute."

"No," says Blace. "Are you kidding? What harm would it be to rest for an hour or two?"

I hold my breath, waiting to see what will happen next. I am not disappointed as Cato walks over to Blace who is still on the ground, and quick as a flash, cuts him on the right arm with his sword, not enough to make him bleed to death, but enough to cause some serious hurt. Blace cries out in pain. Cato turns to the rest of us and says, "Anyone else disagree?"

No one responds, but we all get up. I can see that we are totally at Cato's mercy, and probably Clove's too, seeing as how she has his back. I'm already on thin ice as it is with them, and have no intention of pushing my luck.

As we set off once more to hunt, I find myself thinking of Katniss. Is she ok? Did she survive the fire? I didn't hear any cannons, but then again, I was kind of preoccupied with the whole running from the flaming wall of fire thing. I think of my outfit the day of the opening ceremonies and curse the irony.

It is now daytime. We still haven't found anyone, and I can see we are now coming to a pool. I think back to the first night, where we spotted our prey in the distance, the District 8 girl, near a fire. Well now, I see a girl lying beside the pool of water. She has an orange backpack on her back. As we near, just like I did on that first night, and the day of the Reaping, I pray to myself "Not Katniss, not Katniss." As we get closer, the girl gets up to run.

It's Katniss. I guess the third time's the charm.


	7. Tracker Jackers

**Enjoy!**

My heart is pounding, not just from the exertion of running but also from the realization that we have actually found Katniss. I can't believe it. What were the odds? All I can say is, the odds seem to never be in my favor.

I have to keep up the pace with the rest of the Careers; if I seem the least bit unwilling to hunt Katniss down, they will kill me right here and now. So I kick my legs into high gear, and make my way to the front of the pack. This way, if I reach her first I can perhaps protect her a little bit. But I don't get the chance. She suddenly picks a tree and begins climbing it so skillfully, it's like watching a monkey. But a beautiful monkey at that. We reach her tree and stop under the base of it.

"How's everything with you?" she calls down. "What nerve!", I think to myself.

"Well enough," says Cato. "Yourself?"

"It's been a bit warm for my taste," says Katniss. "The air's better up here. Why don't you come on up?"

"Think I will," says Cato.

"Here, take this, Cato," says Glimmer. She offers him the bow and arrows. But Cato says, "No. I'll do better with my sword."

Cato begins climbing. My heart is just about to jump out of my chest out of fear for Katniss. But as it turns out, I don't have to worry for now, as neither Cato nor Glimmer can make it up the tree to where Katniss is. Glimmer tries to shoot an arrow at her, but it misses. Finally I say, "Oh, let her stay up there. It's not like she's going anywhere. We'll deal with her in the morning." The Careers agree. I have bought her some time. After that…well I don't know what else I can do.

Cato says, "Lover Boy. I thought you said she couldn't climb trees."

Crap. "I thought she couldn't either. We were coached separately, and I guess that's something she lied about." I swear, Cato seems determined to kill me no matter what I say or do.

Cato says mockingly, "Lover's quarrel, eh? No matter. Alright we have two options. We form a pyramid, with Glimmer at the top, and she tries to shoot that bitch, or I try to somehow cut the tree down with my sword.

Clove replies, "Cato, are you mad? Neither of those will work. I suggest two people just stay here in the morning to keep her under siege, while the rest of us continues the hunt for the other tributes."

Everyone agrees to Clove's plan, because that's the only thing that will really work. I mean, Katniss must be about eighty feet high right now. Night falls, and the anthem plays. Glimmer again volunteers to take the first watch, under the tree. We all lie down underneath the tree. I decide to force myself to stay awake the whole night. It's the least I can do, because for some reason, I feel guilty for getting Katniss into this whole mess. So I do. I don't sleep a wink the entire night. This is probably what saves me in the morning.

A rustling in the tree makes me look up. Coming down is a nest; I recognize it as a tracker jacker nest. Katniss must have dropped it just now. What sheer genius on her part! By now, the Careers are awake, and some are shouting "To the lake! To the lake!"

I get up and start running to the lake. Even so, I get four stings from those things. I notice that Glimmer and Atara are in worse shape than the rest of us. They fall to the ground before we reach the lake. The other three Careers and myself make it however, and we quickly soak ourselves in the water. Clove and Blace seem in worse shape than me and Cato. However, we are not alone at the lake. It seems the District 3 boy was here just before we arrived. Cato says to Clove and Blace, "You two. Deal with the boy, get our supplies out, and set our camp back up again."

I wonder, how can Cato be thinking so clearly? Then I see it; Cato only has one sting. I guess even tracker jackers are repelled by this guy. I quickly say, "I'm going back to finish her off." I grab Blace's spear, take my knife, and run off in the direction of the tracker jacker tree before anyone can respond.

I get a huge shock when I see Katniss lying on the ground, with the bow and arrows. What is she still doing here? I'd bet my life that Cato is right behind me. "What are you still doing here?" I hiss at her.

I'm poking her with the spear, trying to motivate her into action. I'm yelling at her now. "Are you mad? Get up! Get up ! Run! Run!" She finally starts to run. She's safe…for the moment. But I'm not. Because Cato is now here, and he's just seen my actions. I only have one choice…and that's to fight.

I throw my spear at Cato. He ducks it, and closes the remaining gap between us. He makes an overhand slashes, which I sidestep, and I try to get in close and stab him with the knife, but he has already moved. I feel a punch in the back of my head knock me to the ground.

I quickly get up, and return the favor with my free hand. He stumbles back about one footstep. Right about now I'm thinking, "Is this guy human? He doesn't quit at all does he?"

I move in for another punch, but it never lands. Cato slashes the knife out of my hand, and on the backstroke, cuts me deep in my upper thigh. I scream out in pain. I can't even describe how much it hurts. I collapse to the ground, knowing this time, I'm done for. Then I realize that Cato is not fighting me anymore. He's fighting somebody else. It looks like…Thresh?

I get to my feet slowly, gingerly, revitalized by the hope of escape. No, I'm not hallucinating too much from those tracker jacker stings. It is Thresh. Him and Cato are going at it with swords. I guess Cato would pass up a weak, wounded opponent for a healthy one, figuring he could easily finish me off later. This is my chance to run. Or more like, hobble and limp. Which I do so, all the way to the stream.

The sounds of Thresh's and Cato's fight fade as I get farther and farther from them. The pain in my leg is threatening to make me pass out, but I fight to stay conscious. Near the stream, I gather up some camouflage materials, mud, leaves and such. I lay down, and cover myself with them. Good thing I took that camouflage class before the Games started, I think to myself. The last thing I think before I pass out is "I hope Katniss is ok." Then darkness claims me.


	8. Darkness of Hell

**This, at least for now, is the last chapter of my story. I'm wondering whether to continue after this, because everything after this is pretty much common knowledge, and I feel that it would just ruin the story. Please review, and let me know what you think about continuing or not. **

Pain. Agony. Hell. Yes, that's it. That's what I'm feeling. Hell. Eternal burning and suffering. Even my tremendous feelings of thirst and hunger are nothing compared to the terrible hell felt in my entire body. I can't deal with it. Time for some more sleep.

I'm woken up sounds of fighting. It feels to me about morning. My curious nature gets the better of me, and I open my eyes to slits to see what is going on. What I see is the boy with the crippled foot, from District 10, running, or I guess limping, from the three Careers. The Careers all look worse for the wear. Clove and Blace are all swollen up from the tracker jacker stings, and Cato is so wrapped in bandages, he almost looks like a mummy. Anyway this District 10 boy is no match for the Careers, and one of Clove's knifes in the back of his head quickly puts him out of his misery. The cannon for him fires. One more tribute down.

To my horror, the Careers do not immediately go away. They stop about 5 yards away from me. Blace says "One more gone."

Cato replies with, "Yeah, but the top three on my kill list still have yet to go. When I find number one, I'm going to kill her myself, and none of you better interfere with me. To take off her head will bring me the sweetest pleasure in the entire world." _Katniss._

Cato continues, "Then Thresh, for doing this -he motions to his many bandages -to me." Then number three, is Lover Boy." They begin to walk towards me. I close my eyes again. "When I find that son of a bitch, I'm going to crush him like the dog he is." Cato's foot comes down on my chest. I scarcely dare to breath. They don't notice anything amiss, and all three continue walking towards the lake. "Wow," I think to myself. "I'm good at this camouflage stuff." As they walk away leisurely, I still hear them talking:

Blace says, "I'm going to set some snares."

"Food snares or tribute snares?" Clove asks.

"Tribute, of course," says Blace. "Who knows what I might catch? Or I should say, _who _I might catch?"

Clove says "I'm going back to the lake to check on our District 3 boy. He better be almost done rigging up camp or he'll get the knife treatment like District 5 did." "Man, she's cruel," I think privately.

Cato says, "I'm going to do some solo hunting. I won't be needing backup." And with that, all three Careers walk off in separate directions. I breath a sigh of relief and fall back into oblivion.

I'm wakened again by the sound of a large explosion. It seems like it came from the direction of the lake. I don't know what it was, and I don't care. All I care about is the hell, the hell. And Katniss. I whisper her name, over and over. "Katniss, Katniss, Katniss…" I do this until the darkness takes me back in its arms.

A third time I'm roused from my slumber. _Can't a person get any sleep around here? Especially when they're about to die? Leave me alone. I'm sorry Katniss. I'm sorry._ This time however, is different. This is what I hear:

"Greetings to the final six contestants of the Seventy-fourth Hunger Games. _Final six? Who else died?_ _Katniss? _There has been a rule change. Under the new rule, two tributes may win if they are the last two left alive and from the same District. Good luck, and may the odds be ever in your favor," booms the voice of Claudius Templesmith. He repeats this, and then he falls silent.

This is unprecedented. I force myself not to fall back into my prison of burning darkness. I need to stay lucid because when Katniss is near me, because she can't be dead, she just can't be, I need to call out to her. But the night passes and morning comes without any sign of her. Despite my efforts, I doze off again.

I wake up of my own accord this time. About five minutes later, I hear slight sounds of someone moving around slowly, as if searching. I hear hushed tones of "Peeta! Peeta!" Who else could it be?

Katniss. Katniss has found me. Now, everything is perfect. Complete. It's all going to be OK.

**Thanks for reading!**


	9. AUTHOR'S NOTE

**Now I'm asking the question just to be clear: should I continue this story or not? Will somebody actually keep reading it, because I feel as though it will just echo the book. Please, please review and let me know what your opinion is!**

**Couldn't resist an advertisement, make sure and check out my other stories, The Seventy Fifth Hunger Games, From The Other Side, and Sharp As A Knife!**


	10. Highlight Show

**After much deliberation, I decided to write one more. I don't know if it was a good idea or what. Please review!**

It's over. That's the just about the only thought going through my mind right now. And of course my joy at being alive, and having won over Katniss. But as I'm sitting up here in the victor's chair (or love seat), watching the highlights, I can't help thinking back to the Games, more specifically, each moment that the screen shows…

The moment Katniss found me. It meant that I would no longer need to shoulder my burden alone; I had someone to share it with. The thought that she actually cared to find me gave me hope for my future prospects with her. How she treated me, fixed me up, cared for me…I owe my life to her. I can never repay her…

The first time she kissed me. Around me, the audience gives a little sigh when they see that one. I remember the sweet feel of her lips upon mine, so cold as compared to my own feverish lips, but still so inviting…

When we found out about the feast. Me refusing to let her go, her saying, "What am I supposed to do? Sit here and watch you die?"

"I won't die. I promise. If you promise not to go," I say. I couldn't let her throw her life away for me like that. She still had a chance.

She then says, "Then you have to do what I say. Drink your water, wake me when I tell you, and eat every bite of the soup no matter how disgusting it is!" I don't care. At least she's not going.

Then me eating those sweet, sweet berries. Me realizing too late that she meant to drug me so I couldn't stop her. Me falling unconscious, and her saying, "Who can't lie, Peeta?"…

I didn't know she said that. Good one, Katniss.

Me waking up, feeling a hundred times better. I wonder why. The first thing I see is a needle lying nearby. So she did go to the feast and get me my medicine. Surprisingly, I'm not too mad right now. Then I see her, lying in a pool of blood, unconscious. I freak out. Then I fix her up, and put a bandage on her head, and keep watch until she wakes up…

When she first admitted the true depths of her feelings for me, I was on cloud nine. Nothing in the world could touch me, not even Cato. If Cato had come through that cave just then, I would have just jumped down from the cloud I was on and struck him down. I was just simply ecstatic…

My surprise when the cannon to signify a death fired when there were only four of us left. I catch a glimpse of the girl that Katniss called Foxface rising through the trees on board a hovercraft. My immediate thought was one that Cato was near, and I say, "Climb. He'll be here in a second. We'll stand a better chance fighting him from above."

Katniss replis, "No, Peeta, she's your kill, not Cato's.

I was puzzled. "What? I haven't even seen her since the first day. How could I have killer her?" I ask.

She holds out the berries in answer. Then she explains to me how Foxface tried to steal enough not so anyone would notice, but just enough to stay alive, and how she wouldn't question the berries safety that we were about to eat. This shell-shocked me, but then I realized, we were one step closer to District 12…

When we were all up on top of the Cornucopia. When Cato had me in a headlock, and was choking me. I didn't want to give up. We were so close to being back home; I just could not give in. So I had to trust Katniss. I painted a red X on the back of Cato's hand, and then watched as Katniss' arrow pierced it and he fell below to the howling mutts. Watched as he was slowly but surely was beaten into submission and then death…

And then finally, the moment of truth. When the announcement came. When Claudius Templesmith's voice sounded, "Greetings to the final contestants of the Seventy fourth Hunger Games. The earlier revision has been revoked. Closer examination of the rule book has disclosed that only one winner may be allowed. Good luck and may the odds be ever in your favor."

With that short statement of his, he had doomed me. I could not let Katniss die. She was just so…so perfect. Me, I was already injured, and dependent on her for everything. So I tried to kill myself. I ripped off my flimsy bandage on my leg that was only just barely keeping the blood inside of my body. But Katniss puts it back on.

"No, you can't kill yourself," she says.

"Katniss," I say. "It's what I want." I want her to live. I love her more than I love myself.

"You're not leaving me here alone," she says.

"Listen," I say. "We both know they have to have a victor. It can only be one of us. Please take it. For me." Then I go on about how much I love her. I want her to know, before I die.

She then fumbles with the pouch on her belt. She wants to kill herself with the poisonous berries! No! I take her hand and say, "No, I won't let you."

"Trust me," she barely whispers. She puts some berries into my hand, and takes some herself. "On the count of three?"

I see now. We shall both die. This is perhaps the best way of all. Now I will get to share her company for all of eternity. Before we cross the final bridge into the afterlife, I need to kiss her one last time. And I do, softly, gently. "The count of three," I say.

"Hold them out. I want everyone to see," I then say.

We count together. "One." This is really happening. "Two." I'm about to die. And you know, as long as Katniss is here with me, I don't mind at all. "Three!" We put the berries in our mouths. All of a sudden, the voice of Claudius Templesmith booms down frantically, "Stop! Stop! Ladies and gentlemen, I am pleased to present the victors of the Seventy fourth Hunger Games, Katniss Everdeen and Peeta Mellark! I give you --- the tributes of District 12!"

And that was that. Neither of us had swallowed the berries. And now, here we sit, together. Forever.


	11. Conclusion

**Right, so, I realized I could still write another chapter of this. So, I figured, why not? **

**And because I've advertised it in all of my other stories, I might as well do it in this one. So read and review my story, The Hunger Games Premiere. **

**Here we go!**

After the show is over, Katniss and I head to the president's mansion for the Victory Banquet. Actually, I feel like I'm back in the Hunger Games because we don't even get the chance to eat. We must take pictures, and smile, and thank everyone…but hey. It could be worse. Katniss could be dead…

When we reach our quarters after a long night, I try and talk to Katniss, but am steered away by Portia. She says, "I just want to make sure your outfit fits for your interview later on…it shouldn't take too long."

"Fine," I answer. I don't care at this point; I just want to rest…

When I wake up, my airheaded prep team does the preliminaries of getting me ready, and then Portia enters the room. She dresses me up in a sophisticated red and white outfit, and then says, "Look at yourself! You look so handsome!"

"Well, I hope Katniss thinks so," I reply.

When we enter the interview room, I pull Katniss to the side and say, "I hardly get to see you. Haymitch seems bent on keeping us apart."

Is it my imagination or does her face lose just a little bit of its light? She replies, "Yes, he's gotten very responsible lately."

"Well, there's just this and we go home. Then he can't watch us all the time," I say. Then I blush. Maybe I was a little too forward…

But Katniss doesn't get the chance to say anything back as we are being called over to begin the interview. Someone counts backward, and just like that, we're being broadcast to the entire country.

For the most part, I just do my usual easy-going baker's son act. Katniss is very quiet, and lets me handle the talking for the most part. Which I don't mind in the least…it's enough just to have her here beside me.

But the part where Katniss is not very quiet is when she finds out about my new leg. She asks, "New leg?" She then pulls up the bottom of my pants. "Oh no," she whispers.

"No one told you?" Caesar Flickerman softly asks.

Whoops. I was working up to telling her this…what a bad way for her to find out: in front of the prying eyes of Panem. "I haven't had the chance," I say.

"It's my fault," Katniss says. "Because I used that tourniquet."

"Yes, it's your fault I'm alive," I answer sarcastically.

"He's right," affirms Caesar. "He'd have bled to death for sure without it." And I would have.

But this is not enough to console Katniss, as she buries her face in my shirt. I pull her even closer to me and try to soothe her while answering more questions from Caesar.

But Caesar leaves her alone until the question, "Katniss, I know you've had a shock, but I've got to ask. The moment when you pulled out those berries. What was going on in your mind…hm?"

All she can stutter out is, "I don't know, I just…couldn't bear the thought of…being without him."

My heart is filled with an exhilarating swooping sensation at these words, and I can't help but break out in a smile of pure joy and happiness. I don't care. I want Panem to know. I want them to know that the one sitting next to me is _the _one. _The _girl. Katniss.

"Peeta? Anything to add?" Caesar asks.

"No, I think that goes for both of us," I say. And it sure does.

The next few hours pass in a blur. Boarding the train, eating dinner, watching the recap of the interview. As we get nearer to home, I think about what will happen. How Katniss and I will live in the Victor's Village, how my friends and parents will react. I can't help but be filled with excitement as we draw closer and closer…

When the train stops for fuel, Katniss and I go outside to get some air. Walking in a meadow, with her hand in mine, I just feel so…peaceful. I know that all is right with the world.

And then Haymitch is there beside us. He says, "Great job, you two. Just keep it up in the District until the cameras are gone. We should be okay."

"What's he mean?" I ask. Part of me already knows but I have to make sure…

"It's the Capitol. They didn't like our stunt with the berries," Katniss says in a rush.

"What? What are you talking about?" I ask.

"It seemed too rebellious. So, Haymitch has been coaching me through the last few days. So I didn't make it worse," she says.

"Coaching you? But not me," I say.

"He knew you were smart enough to get it right," she answers.

The rest of the conversation passes as though we're in two separate worlds and I storm back to the train. I can think of one thing: she doesn't love me. I'm just a tool to her. I don't mean anything.

I avoid her for the rest of the trip. All I do is wallow in my room, thinking about the mind-blowing revelation that has just been handed to me.

I can't believe it. I just can't believe it.

The kisses, the caresses, the care, the personal stories we shared…it was all a lie. A lie to win favor with the audience. Not anything to do with me. Just an act.

The next time I see Katniss is when we're pulling into District we stand silently at the window, I can see the cameras through the window. As usual, we will be on display for all of Panem to see.

As we prepare to exit the train, I say hollowly, "One more time? For the audience?

I extend my hand to her and she takes it. She holds on tight, as though she wants me to never leave. As though she actually loves me.

Too little, too late. All I want to do is to let go.

**So this officially ends my first ever fanfic. It kind of brings back memories...lol. Anyway, thanks for sticking with it and reading!**


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